Day 54: Return to Grayskull

"At the center of the universe, at the boarder between the light and the dark stands Castle Grayskull. For countless eons the sorceress of Grayskull has kept this universe in harmony, but the armies of darkness shall not rest and the capture of grayskull is ever most in their minds. For to those who controls Grayskull comes the power, the power to be supreme, the power to be all mighty, the power to be.... Masters of the Universe."

Put on those "footy pajamas," pour a bowl of your favorite cereal, and welcome to day 54, my thirsty readers. It feels like just yesterday, even though it was 49 days ago, I delved into 80's cartoon nostalgia with my Eye of Thundera cocktail. It only felt fitting to put up another piece of childhood, in tropical beverage form. After all, it is Saturday morning!

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Growing up in the 80's, there was probably no phrase more exciting than "By the power of Grayskull, I have the power!" This opening line of the Masters of the Universe series was the battle cry of an entire generation of energetic youth. This was a time before the internet had come into our homes, all but eliminating day to day socializing. It was a time before endless entertainment options took away the common connection we once had. On Saturday mornings, there was an unspoken assumption that every child was in front of the TV, becoming lost in the same fantasy worlds.

Forming the central location of the series, Castle Grayskull represents the eternal prize for the never ending battle between good and evil. On the planet of Eternia, it is the home of the Sorceress, and the Mattel toy company, who originally created the Masters of the Universe world, even created a Castle Grayskull play-set, which served as storage vessel for the action figures. If you were to ask my parents, they would tell you I had everyone one of them! It felt like every child wanted to harness the "power of Grayskull."

I was often lost in the far off land of Eternia, imagining myself fighting the forces of evil, alongside He-Man. Being that young, playing make-believe was commonplace. One day you might pretend to be battling the terrifying henchmen of Skeletor, and the next day, you could be in the world of GI Joe, gearing up to fight the evil forces of Cobra. The ability to pretend always made life just a little more special, providing a certain sense of wonder.

I guess that's what drew me to the world of cocktails. In a way, bar culture is our grown-up form of make-believe. We don "costumes" in the form of uniforms, and we take people on a journey to places which only exist in our minds. If there were ever a time to escape back to that place, when everything felt simpler and we became lost in our own imaginations, that time would be now. After the stress and uncertainty of the past two months, I know I could use a return.

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Return to Grayskull

1oz Aged St. Lucia Rum (Chairman's Reserve the Forgotten Casks)

.5oz Bourbon (Wild Turkey 101)

.25oz 151 Proof Demerara Rum (Lemonhart 151)

.5oz Orange Liqueur (J.M. Shrubb)

.25oz Allspice Dram

.5oz Cinnamon Syrup

.5oz Lime Juice

.75oz Grapefruit Juice

Tiki Mug

Whip shake and pour unstrained.

Top with crushed ice.

Top with Angostura Bitters.

Pineapple fronds, grapefruit rosette, parasol, and optional swizzle stick.

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Sometimes even commonplace items, like a bar spoon or swizzle stick, can feel like your Sword of Grayskull. As bartenders we have our own eternal battle, but instead of fighting evil forces, we're fighting whatever troubles our guests need to escape. Just because we're older now, doesn't mean we have to lose the bright-eyed child we once were. You have the power! So grab that sense of wonder, make today a fantasy-filled Saturday once again, and keep shaking.